Built-Up Roofing (BUR)
The classic tar-and-gravel roof is rare in new work, but if you have one, it may have years left. Our position is maintenance-first, replacement only when it’s genuinely time.
Patch before replace
BUR & transition components
Honest remaining-life calls
We say when it’s not time
What built-up roofing is — and our honest stance
Built-up roofing, the classic ‘tar-and-gravel’ roof, layers asphalt and reinforcing felts into a thick, durable membrane, usually topped with gravel or a cap sheet. For most of the 20th century it was the commercial flat roof. It’s now rare in new South Florida work, but a great many buildings still have one, and a sound BUR roof can have years of service left.
Our honest position on BUR is maintenance-first: we repair, maintain, and transition these roofs to a modern system when it’s genuinely time. We use GAF Ruberoid components for built-up and transition work.
Maintenance and repair come first
If your built-up roof is structurally sound and draining, the cheapest responsible option is usually to keep it serviced: reseal flashings, clear and correct drains, address blisters and splits before they reach the felts. We’ll document the roof’s condition with photos and give you a realistic remaining-life estimate so you can plan capital, not panic.
When patching stops making sense
- Widespread saturation in the insulation or felts (a moisture survey confirms it)
- Chronic ponding that reflashing won’t fix
- Repairs that keep recurring in new spots each season
- A capital plan that makes a one-time replacement cheaper than a decade of patching
We’ll tell you when you’ve crossed that line, and when you haven’t. Selling you a roof you don’t need yet isn’t how we work.
Transitioning to a modern system
When a BUR roof is done, the usual successors are a single-ply TPO or a multi-ply modified-bitumen re-cover or replacement, chosen around the deck condition, the building’s use, and the budget. We’ll lay out the options and the code constraints (layer limits, tear-off triggers) so the decision is yours with full information.
Common questions
Do you still install new built-up roofs?
My built-up roof leaks. Do I need a whole new roof?
How can you tell if the roof is wet inside?
What replaces a built-up roof?
Got an older flat roof and not sure what it needs?
Let us inspect it and document the condition. You’ll get a straight answer (maintain, repair, or replace) with photos, not a scare pitch.
Request a Commercial Estimate →Built-up roof service across Miami-Dade, Broward, and West Palm Beach.